The study of classical texts – those of ancient Greece and Rome – has long been a cornerstone of Western education. But in recent years, China has undergone a remarkable shift, embracing these same classics with a fervor that has surprised many observers. This isn’t simply an academic exercise; it’s a deliberate cultural and political project, one that reflects a broader ambition to bolster national identity and project soft power. The renewed interest in classical thought, spurred by the endorsement of President Xi Jinping, is reshaping the intellectual landscape within China and influencing its engagement with the world. This embrace of antiquity, however, isn’t occurring in a vacuum, and is playing out alongside ongoing debates about the purpose and direction of classical studies globally.
The impetus for this revival can be traced to a confluence of factors. For decades, Western classical thought was viewed with a degree of skepticism within certain Chinese intellectual circles, often seen as representing a foreign ideology. However, under Xi Jinping, the classics have been repositioned as a source of universal values and wisdom, offering insights into governance, ethics, and societal harmony. This re-evaluation isn’t merely about adopting Western ideas wholesale; rather, it’s about selectively drawing upon them to strengthen Chinese cultural confidence and provide a historical grounding for the country’s growing global influence. The promotion of classical studies is also linked to a broader effort to cultivate a sense of national pride and ideological cohesion, particularly among younger generations.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) has been central to this initiative. Established as a state think tank with close ties to policymakers, CASS has seen a significant investment in classical studies in recent years. In 2024, three protégés of Liu Ailing, a prominent scholar whose work focuses on the Sinicization of Marxism and ideological and political education, joined a newly established classics research office within CASS. Liu Ailing, an associate researcher at the Academy of Marxism, is also a Contributing Researcher at the Xi Jinping Center for the Study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. These scholars played a key role in organizing the World Conference of Classics, a high-profile event held in Beijing that signaled China’s commitment to engaging with classical traditions on a global stage.
A New Approach to Antiquity: The Role of Liu Ailing
Liu Ailing’s influence on this shift is considerable. Previously described as a “noisy member of the Chinese intelligentsia,” her ideas, rooted in a Straussian approach to interpreting classical texts, have gained traction within the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party. This approach emphasizes the search for timeless truths embedded within ancient works, and their application to contemporary political and social challenges. Her work, initially met with resistance from some scholars who favored a more historically contextualized approach, has found a receptive audience in a political climate increasingly focused on ideological strength and national rejuvenation. In 2015, a survey of ten foreign-educated Chinese scholars revealed a desire to distance themselves from Liu’s approach, with one scholar, Zhang Wei of Fudan University, noting that “Westerners do not speak of ‘usefulness’” when discussing the classics.
The Global Context: Debates Within Classical Studies
China’s embrace of the classics coincides with a period of intense self-reflection within the field of classical studies in the West. The discipline has faced declining enrollments and a reckoning with its historical complicity in ideologies of Western superiority. These tensions came to a head in 2019 at the annual meeting of the Society for Classical Studies in San Diego. A panel titled “The Future of Classics” featured data presented by Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a Princeton historian of Rome, highlighting the underrepresentation of Black and minority authors in top classics journals. The subsequent Q&A session became particularly contentious when an independent scholar, Mary Frances Williams, challenged the panelists, arguing that the classics were foundational to Western ideals and questioning whether Padilla Peralta’s position was based on merit rather than qualifications. Padilla Peralta responded with a stark statement: “I hope the field dies,” expressing his dissatisfaction with a vision of classics that perpetuated exclusion and inequality.
This “incident,” as it’s now known within the field, sparked a broader conversation about the need to de-center Greece and Rome as the sole focus of classical inquiry. Scholars like Christopher Waldo, an Asian American classicist at the University of Washington, created the Asian and Asian American Classical Caucus to promote the study of how Asian and Asian American cultures have interpreted antiquity. Other affinity groups, including Trans in Classics and CripAntiquity, emerged around the same time, advocating for greater inclusivity and challenging traditional interpretations of the classical world. Padilla Peralta described the aims of these scholars as “de-centering Greece and Rome as the primary or main locus of intellectual innovation.”
Clash of Perspectives: Reactions from Chinese Scholars
The focus on marginalized voices and the critique of Western-centric perspectives within American classical studies resonated differently with some Chinese scholars. In 2021, an anonymous Chinese doctoral student in the United States published an article criticizing what they perceived as the “absurd reality of American academia.” The author accused Padilla Peralta of fostering a culture of denunciation, drawing parallels to the Cultural Revolution in China. A commenter on the article succinctly summarized the sentiment: “Down with Confucius, burn the Pantheon—different formula, familiar flavor.” This reaction highlights a divergence in perspectives, with some Chinese scholars viewing the emphasis on inclusivity in Western classics as a distraction from the core value of the classics as a source of cultural wisdom and national strength.
The experience of Yanxiao, a Chinese scholar who studied both Confucian classics and ancient history at Indiana University, the University of Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley, illustrates this evolving perspective. Initially focused on academic pursuits within an “ivory tower,” Yanxiao’s views shifted after encountering scholarship on K-pop at Berkeley. He found resonance in the idea that K-pop represented a reversal of cultural flows, challenging the long-held notion that culture primarily moved from West to East. This realization, he says, “shocked him” into embracing his Asian identity and recognizing the importance of reclaiming and reinterpreting cultural narratives.
Xi Jinping’s Endorsement and the World Conference of Classics
President Xi Jinping’s explicit endorsement of the classics has been instrumental in driving this cultural shift. In November 2024, Xi sent a letter to the inaugural World Conference of Classics, co-organized by China and Greece, describing ancient Greece and China as two civilizations that have profoundly shaped humanity. He announced the establishment of a Chinese School of Classical Studies in Athens, signaling a commitment to fostering cultural exchange and promoting a shared understanding of classical traditions. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences played a significant role in the organization of this conference, further solidifying its position as a key player in the revival of classical studies.
This conference, held at the Yanqi Lake international convention center north of Beijing, was a lavish affair, reportedly costing nearly six billion dollars to construct. It brought together ambassadors, politicians, and scholars from around the world, showcasing China’s ambition to position itself as a global leader in the study and interpretation of classical thought. The event underscored the strategic importance China places on leveraging its cultural heritage to enhance its international standing and promote its vision of a shared future for humanity.
Key Takeaways
- China is experiencing a resurgence of interest in classical texts, driven by President Xi Jinping’s endorsement and a desire to strengthen national identity.
- The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is playing a central role in this revival, investing in research and organizing international conferences.
- This shift coincides with ongoing debates within Western classical studies about inclusivity, decolonization, and the relevance of the field in the 21st century.
- The differing perspectives between Chinese and Western scholars highlight the complex interplay between cultural identity, political ideology, and academic inquiry.
- China’s embrace of the classics is part of a broader strategy to project soft power and promote its vision of a multipolar world.
Looking ahead, the impact of this renewed focus on the classics will likely be felt across various aspects of Chinese society, from education and cultural policy to international relations. The ongoing efforts to integrate classical thought into the curriculum and promote its study within academic institutions will shape the intellectual development of future generations. Further developments regarding the Chinese School of Classical Studies in Athens, and the ongoing research initiatives at CASS, will provide further insight into the long-term implications of this cultural shift. The evolving dialogue between Chinese and Western scholars will also be crucial in shaping a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of the classical world.
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